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A
study of the potential to enhance the green and
open spaces of Stocksbridge SRB5
Report by Jim Flanagan and Sheffield Wildlife Trust
for SVP 7.1. Introduction This section develops an outline action plan by considering the ideas and proposals outlined in Appendix C and relating their suitability to the range of circumstances that apply to open space in the Stocksbridge SRB5 area and the needs of the local community. Existing facilities and developments have been taken into account and many of the ideas refine or strengthen these. Some of the more innovative ideas examined have been judged as not yet practical or require more research and deliberation before consideration or adoption by the local community. Maps 4-6 provide information on the location of transport routes, community focal centres and proposed actions that could be integrated togther to form a network or series of networks. 7.2. Area Wide Strategies 7.2.1. Litter and fly-tipping strategy Surveying and auditing carried out for this feasibility study identified litter and, in some locations, fly-tipping as a major problem within many open spaces in Stocksbridge. All types of sites are affected, mainly in and around the urban, suburban and green fingers areas. Some sites are in good condition but others show signs of neglect in the accumulation of rubbish within their boundaries. The woodland at Wood Royd is an extreme case where flytipping of car and other mechanical parts, tyres and a huge range of plastic items, large and small, has considerably scared the western slopes and stream of what was once a beautiful bluebell wood. Considerable effort will be required to clean up this site. It is suggested that action be taken in a co-ordinated programme of litterpicks and rubbish removal. A series of regular events that target the main 'blackspots' could be organised locally. With the support of SCC Environmental Services (and possibly some local businesses) SSVUDP could facilitate a programme of events (with dates for up to a year ahead) involving local community groups. Also tipping of garden waste was noted at some sites and the availability of community shredding or composting facilities may help reduce this. The STEP's recycling officer could facilitate the establishment of these at various suitable locations. 7.2.2. Dog mess control The audit and survey show that many sites, small and large, are used by people to exercise their dogs generating a great deal of dog faeces in some of the smaller places often on those located away from away from accessible large sites. People use many sites, like Oxley Park, to exercise dogs and some planning may be required to ensure the safety of young children playing on open spaces here. The study proposes to pilot a particular method that benefits wildlife in combination with other existing approaches. Maintenance of long grass areas through 'differential mowing' which can be sign-posted. This creates habitats of more value than amenity grass as well as an opportunity for slugs to recycle the waste. Large sites are best able to accommodate these areas. In smaller areas dog mess bins should be set up or owners encouraged to collect and take home their dog's mess using bags. In Sheffield the City Council has set up about 90 dog mess bins and collects between 50-60 tons of dog mess per year from these. Bins are clearly much used and some have even been purchased directly by local tenants and residents groups because of the urgent need. Collecting the waste is very expensive - around £250 per year if bins are emptied twice weekly. Environment Agency regulations require the waste to go to pre-notified landfill sites. The survey recorded a complete absence of dog mess bins in Stocksbridge. There were several signposts warning dog owners to clear their dog's mess and take it home (the northeast end of Oxley Park has one). Local authorities are now much more determined to tackle this problem. Sheffield, like many others, is withdrawing its current byelaws on dog fouling in public places (maximum fine £100) to adopt national legislation set up by the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 in which maximum fines are set at £1,000 (with a fixed penalty fine of £25). City Council Animal Welfare Officers have powers to impose fixed penalties and there are proposals to extend powers to SCC Park Rangers. 7.2.3. Health works and walks Encouraging the regular use of open space and the network of paths and trails that link them can have enormous health benefits. The reason for many people, particularly older people, owning dogs is that it encourages them to walk and get exercise (as well as the dog). Our lifestyles of convenience based on car use, computers and other technological items means that the population is becoming more sedentary and levels of obesity are generally increasing in the population. Environmental improvement works, development of walks and trails have great potential to encourage a more healthy and active lifestyle. Community Health facilities could develop this idea with regular information on activities and footpath and trails, cycle route developments as well as practical conservation work. A case study approach to publicity of these activities should be adopted over time. 7.2.4. Environmental stewards These people will be a key element in the transformation of open space in the Stocksbridge SRB5 area. The SSVUDP is already in the process of establishing a practical conservation team that operates in a wider area than SRB5. The team will be a combination of paid posts (manager and training officer) with two project assistants funded under ILM with New Deal people and volunteers. From this core team a number of environmental stewards could be developed but over a period of time because they are likely to need training and experience. They should be encouraged from within the local community as this would reduce staff turnover and help to ensure continuity of projects. 7.3. Community development projects The ideas for community involvement and developing local skills, resources and knowledge are a key element in the regeneration of Stocksbridge's open space and environment. These ideas offer the opportunity for all local people to develop a wide range of skills and knowledge and also encourage personal development. They also aim to break down barriers between parts of the community (ie young and older people) and establish partnerships that can pursue the common goal of environment and community regeneration on a sustainable basis. 7.3.1. Community tools SSVUDP are keen to foster and develop environmental improvement skills within local community groups who wish to run their own projects. Part of facilitating this development and increasing opportunities for activity will be the provision of a store of community tools. An appeal for unwanted garden tools can help form an initial pool of equipment, some of which may require repair, that can be added to the store. SSVUDP can deploy their own power tools such as mowers and chain saws but these will need to be used by the Project's trained staff. Tools could be used for school grounds projects but some items may need to be in an appropriate size for children to use with ease and safety. 7.3.2. Community Open Space Book and Parish maps A Community Open Space Book can be a useful project to obtain historical information about open spaces. Interviews and stories or anecdotes could be provided by anyone who has memories of what open space was like or what these spaces mean to them now. They can be produced as a series of leaflets or book and may be useful if run in conjunction with a parish maps project. Parish maps have huge potential to generate awareness of the value and special features of the local environment in Stocksbridge. Maps projects are ideal for community and church groups or schools to undertake. In other parts of Sheffield local schools have played a major part in carrying out parish map projects using innovative ideas and materials and media collage to murals, tapestries and cardboard models. These can be used for local exhibition in the library or Town Council office. A more systematic approach would be to produce a parish map that could be used in a similar way to 'village design statements' (funding can be obtained to produce these). In this open spaces and other important features or potential are identified that can help to inform future planning policies of Sheffield City Council. 7.3.3. 'Community Chest' grants for open space These grants are mostly available through the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB). Local groups can access these fundss to kick-start a wide range of open space projects and ideas. In Stocksbridge this grant-aid is known as Community Initiatives Funding and there is a considerable amount of money during 2000/2001 available for a range of projects including improvements to open space. Grants are available up to £5,000 but there are conditions that require the securing of match funding. Such funding been used to regenerate open spaces in the Norfolk Park, Sharrow, Heeley, Netherthorpe and Upperthorpe areas of Sheffield. 7.3.4. Community composting Many of the schemes outlined by this feasibility study involve the redistribution of soil nutrients between different types of sites. For instance, on nature reserves and in community parks, management of acid and neutral grasslands and flower meadows require a reduction in nutrient levels. In contrast productive sites such as community gardens, allotments, orchards gardens and nurseries require organic fertilisers such as compost to raise nutrient levels. Community composting can provide meet the needs of these two different types of site by the recycling of organic waste such as fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags, dead flowers, cuttings etc. Householders can be encouraged to compost their waste but guidance on suitable materials for composting will need to be produced. Local businesses such as green grocers, supermarkets and flower shops should be encouraged to provide their organic waste for collection. 7.3.5. Welcome to Wildlife Stocksbridge Local Agenda 21 Action Plan identified the potential for more people to become active in increasing opportunities for wildlife to thrive in their own back gardens. This idea aims to show people that encouraging wildlife is a good way to care for their local environment. The idea revolves around the theme that anyone can get involved in helping wildlife to thrive in Stocksbridge from planting out a window box or back garden to helping design a new pocket park or nature reserve. 7.3.6. Young persons environment team Many of the problems occurring in open spaces are associated with vandalism from young people. The study identifies an urgent need to engage and steer young people from this activity by providing ideas for a diverse range of youth recreation facilities on open space (as well as elsewhere). This could aid the long-term success of many of the projects proposed in this study. The integration of these open space projects with existing youth work will be important. The aim of this project is to involve young people in a team or informal network to help in the implementation and design of projects. 7.3.7. 'Adopt' an open/wild space This is an idea that gives local business the opportunity to become involved in environmental improvements on open space (whether owned by them or not) on any level they wish to choose. However, a cautious approach to promoting this initiative may be required as 'adopt' has many meanings. It is perhaps best termed as 'looking out for your local open space'. It is likely that some local businesses may have little in the way of resources to offer and their interest may be limited to provide public support for a particular project. Others may be able to assist projects by providing items for donation (or at cut price) or, through an informal business grapevine, pin down the location of sources of material that a project needs. This local business 'green' network could be supplied with a list of wants and needs for a range of adopted sites across the SRB5 area helping to achieve an 'added value' to the deployment of existing resources. 7.3.8. LETs and mutual aid schemes These self help schemes can compliment the community-based projects discussed above by allowing exchange of goods, services and knowledge without the use of money. Local Exchange and Trading systems (LETs) have been developing over the last decade and most cities including Sheffield have their own LETs. Mutual aid is another less formal arrangement of exchange. These schemes can link closely to changing the use of open space where it has been designed to be productive in economic, social and environmental terms. On this local scale there will be a need to exchange goods and services (regardless of the economic advantage or disadvantage of the community) to ensure schemes work and are sustainable. These systems should be not be confused with the 'black market' as no cash changes hands. Such schemes have much wider applications than what is proposed in this open space feasibility study. 7.4. Regenerated open space - the potential 7.4.1. Nature Reserves The potential for a coherent nature reserve network that links both large and small sites within and beyond the SRB5 area is huge. However, one of the main aims of this feasibility study is to help promote the enjoyment of wildlife by the local community (and visitors) through a network of nature reserves that includes sites close to where people live (a 'wildlife on your doorstep' approach). Ecological surveying in this study has, therefore, been biased to urban and urban fringe sites to explore this potential. It is fortunate that there are a number of sites that provide good access with potential to be managed primarily as wildlife sites in and around the built and industrial environments. There are other sites that accommodate more varied uses that could also help in maintaining and enhancing the network either containing small wildlife areas or as linking green corridors. There are already existing large areas of nature conservation interest with significant habitats and species, some of key importance for local biodiversity. The positive management of these, together with smaller sites should, therefore, relate to targets drawn up under Sheffield's Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP). Key habitats and species present within the Stocksbridge SRB5 area and featuring in the LBAP include heathlands, hedgerows, ancient semi-natural woodlands, watercourses, bats, bluebell, water vole, song thrush and skylark. Sheffield City Council has been working with key conservation groups to promote and designate Local Nature Reserves. The first tranche includes the existing YWT reserve of Wharncliffe Heath but other sites in the SRB5 area may be selected in the future when their development is more advanced with practical management plans in place and being implemented. However, the aim here is to promote the establishment of a network that fulfills a local commitment to protect biodiversity. Such a network could facilitate local strategic habitat management plans where a number of sites are known to be important for a particular habitat or species and priorities for action can be drawn up. Heathland is an obvious example. This open space feasibility study shows that there are both large and small sites containing this habitat within the SRB5 area. There may be several types of threats to its survival operating on different sites. By taking into account the various threats and existing and potential solutions available through funding, management etc. an overall strategic approach to the conservation of the habitat can be achieved. Importantly, this approach should link to the aims and objectived of Sheffield's LBAP. Most large wildlife sites are located in the Countryside Zone. The conservation interest of many is already known but the quality of information is variable. Windhill Wood is little studied because of poor public access. At the other end of the spectrum is Wharncliffe Heath, a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve that has been the focus of extensive plant, insect, bird and archaeological surveys. Many of the sites with nature conservation interest in the western part of SRB5 area are under private estate ownership (Broomhead Estates). Any attempts to include these in a formal or informal nature reserve network will need the full support of the estate owner(s). Those sites that this study examined in detail and proposes for management as nature reserves, together with other sites, will make it possible for the establishment of a roughly coherent network of woodland, heathland and grassland reserves across the SRB5 area. Some work may be needed to improve links between them but the framework is basically there. The sites this study looked at in detail and recommends for management as nature reserves are:
In many of these sites there will inevitably feature other types of use and efforts to accommodate these should be attempted. Consultation to resolve potential conflicts is always the best way forward in these circumstances. 7.4.2. Community Parks Community Parks will have the most important role in involving people in open space projects. These parks should adopt a multi-functional approach to the use of open space on a large scale by providing for areas for wildlife, recreation and landscape amenity. Such parks should be designed to appeal to the many different parts of the local community. Community Parks should play an important part in increasing the range of recreational activities. One key site that already incorporates this multi-functional approach is Oxley Park, however there is scope for much improvement of the facilities it contains. Other sites have the potential to accommodate a greater variety of recreation through redesign of existing facilities. The concentration of these potential community parks is mainly to the south and west of the central part of Stocksbridge. There are few other areas that are sufficiently large enough to function as community parks but some of the larger small areas may fulfill community park functions such as the open space at Smithy Moor or Don Field.
It will be essential that the ideas suggested by this study for Community Parks be subjected to detailed public consultation. Community parks are proposed for Oxley Park, Smithy Moor, Spink Hall, Don Field and Bracken Moor Playing Fields. 7.4.3. Cultural and Heritage Sites Some sites that were ecologically surveyed as part of this study were found to be important both for their wildlife and historic features. Some sites have certain aspects of their heritage already recognised, such as the ancient mesolithic site at Exchnage Sidings which is commemorated with a plaque on a large boulder alongside a public footpath. One of the best existing heritage sites is Wharncliffe Heath. Although an important local nature reserve it is even more important for its location as an ancient quern-making factory. Further study would be needed on other sites to investigate their full historic context for future interpretation. The establishment of a network of these cultural/heritage sites could offer an additional angle for promoting their use by visitors and contribute to the development of sustainable tourism. Three areas were identified as having cultural and heritage values that could be developed namely:
7.4.4. Play grounds Play facilities and equipment are spread across the inner and outer zones. They mostly cater for children up to ten years old. There is mostly little variation in the composition of these facilities - swings, climbing frames and slides mostly constructed of tubular metal on a hard surface and surrounded by short-cut amenity grass. Vandalism, surprisingly, has been minimal on all the playgrounds looked at with nearly all equipment found to be in working order (although one or two showed evidence of items removed possibly as a result of vandalism). However, a need for a radical overhaul of playground equipment is long overdue. Introduction of new types of play equipment could be included as a result of consultation with children and their parents. Simultaneous effort is also urgently required to tackle the almost complete lack of facilities for teenagers in open spaces. Community Parks may have the scope to provide some of these as space is an important consideration when proposals involve the creation of BMX tracks or informal adventure playground areas (see above). The solutions to lack of facilities for teenagers must go much farther beyond the tailoring of open space. New proposals for equipment should aim for a combination of innovative design, robustness and safety. The potential for vandalism, however, should always be borne in mind. Equipment that involves low levels of maintenance and costs for replacement is essential. The design of surfacing and play equipment could be based on themes using birds, butterflies, ants, leaves, fish etc. Each playground could be improved by involving local kids in working out designs of different themes and in their construction. For example one site could feature designs of fish in all its elements and another frogs and toads. If people knew there were different themes and features at other playgrounds this could encourage greater visiting and use. The potential for involving local artists or community groups is huge and brings benefits through developing community ownership of these parks. 7.4.5. Pocket Parks Pocket parks can be created to provide opportunities for local people to develop and improve small open spaces as multifunctional community facilities. They can be used for food production (fruit), include butterfly or sensory features, raised beds, natural sculptures and other arts and crafts features and ponds and other water features, benches etc. 7.4.6. Community Gardens Community gardens can be created on small open spaces but with a different emphasis from Pocket Parks. The aim would be to encourage the space to be productive by growing of fruit and vegetables (using organic methods) for sale to local people. A small area in Smithy Moor open space or top field in Bracken Moor could be suitable for such a project. 7.4.7. Recreation/Sports Grounds A) Introduction Six recreation grounds provide provides Stocksbridge with extensive open space for sport. However, existing use of these is heavily biased to football. These open spaces could be regarded as underused (since most football takes place at the weekends) even though there are a number of local football teams, from youth teams to 'over-40s'. It is hard to escape the conclusion that young people who do not like football are denied the use of much open space. More flexible arrangements and a more varied selection of recreational pursuits should be accommodated. B) Actions on recreation/sports grounds There is scope to introduce other sport and recreational facilities. Installation of multi-sports facilities such as hard surface basket ball courts that can also be used for five-a-side football, skate-boarding or roller-blading would be a key action to make recreational facilities appeal to a wider range of young people. There are also signs of informal bmx tracks on many woodland sites and efforts to accommodate this activity on recreation grounds could help to reduce damage on more ecologically sensitive areas. 7.4.8. School Playing Fields A) Introduction All of the five schools in Stocksbridge contain open space or playing fields. Three have quite large areas of amenity grass open space some with football pitches marked out. One has the only athletics running track (hard surface) in Stocksbridge (the High School). These are publicly accessible through informal means as wall and fences have been removed or vandalised. Two schools have smaller areas, one with a basket-ball court and hoops, both secure from public access. The scope for developing small pocket parks, wildlife areas or gardens is extensive. B) Actions on school playing fields Two schools have been involved with SSVUDP on small projects in the past but these have not had much impact. The garden planted up for Stocksbridge Infants School looks in poor condition and could benefit from renewed planting and landscaping (and a new fence). Stocksbridge High School has an environment group that could help SSVUDP co-ordinate projects (including Forest Education Initiative etc) for all the schools in Stocksbridge. 7.4.9. Allotments A) Introduction Use of allotments has potential to contribute to the creation of sustainable cities and link in with Healthy City Initiatives (Healthy Sheffield and its Healthy Gardening Group). Goals of creating productive open space are partly fulfilled through the active use of allotments. At the time of writing there are 74 Council-managed allotment sites containing 3,300 garden plots in Sheffield. Five of these sites are in Stocksbridge with one additional private site (three within the Inner Zone and three in the Outer Zone). The five Council sites contain a total of 46 plots. Of these 10 are currently vacant. The five allotments are not of any significant size so potential to enhance the productiveness of open space in this way is limited. One site (containing one plot) has not been used since 1983 (Whitwell Lane) and the two that are lacking in good condition and security are the ones that have vacant plots. One site that is accessed from the Little Don Walk was reported to have suffered from increased levels of vandalism since the Walk was opened. B) Actions on allotments Allotment use should continue to be encouraged and promoted. If possible other sites should be created where opportunities may arise in the future. Actions to maintain and enhance community involvement on allotment gardening could include the construction of a central community garden that would be surrounded by rearranged plots. This could foster social interaction between plot holders and become a focus for small community events etc. The community garden could also provide a focus for the activity in tenanted plots. The problem of security needs to be addressed as plots and their huts/glasshouses have been the target of theft and vandalism for a log time. On some sites this is minimal but others, because of their location and/or access, will need some thought as to how they can be made secure and therefore fully-used. Allotment sites could be used to promote personal and community composting to reduce use of non-renewable sources. There is probably a great deal of potential to exploit in this area. Availability of communal shredding facilities at allotments could help to reduce a particular problem on some open space - dumping of garden cuttings and waste. Allotment use links in with existing gardening clubs and groups and there may be many opportunities for small networks to be established that could exchange seeds, tools and expertise. Consultation with allotment holders is essential to enable the actions above to be implemented. There is a Sheffield Allottments and Home Gardens Federation that could assist with promotion of allotment gardening and consultation with local members. 7.4.10. Brownfield Sites These are mainly small sites scattered across the SRB5 area, both in industrial and housing areas. There are two very large sites. The area formerly occupied by the Lowoods brickworks off Station Road in Deepcar has potential for many uses but this site requires the cleaning up of some areas of heavily contaminated land and minewater discharge originating from nearby gannister and coal mines. Some ecological interest has managed to survive in parts, particularly along the river. Further south is the very large strip of land (running parallel with the River Don on the eastern side) containing Morehall Tip. There are two parts to this site. The northern part has been raised many metres above the river flood plain (which becomes very narrow along this section) as a result of landfill. Landscaping has included much tree planting and development of an acid grassland area. This part of the tip provides potential for enhanced community use, possibly as a focal point and certainly, as a green route. The southern part is still an active landfill site, but probably for not much longer, and would eventually form a continuation of the landscaped northern part to provide further possible opportunities for development of open space. Other brownfield sites are very small and mostly in private ownership. They are often visually prominent (such as the site of former dwellings on the south side of Manchester Road between Ash Lane and New Street), and exceptionally larger such as the former Stocksbridge College site located further west along Manchester Road. With the support of owners they could be usefully landscaped on a temporary basis for the benefit of wildlife and visual amenity at low cost. 7.4.11. Churches and cemeteries Although there are eight churches in the Stocksbridge area (inlcuding Bolsterstone) potential for regeneration is limited. Most have some open space attached to them but they are often very small. St Mary's Church in Bolsterstone has the largest area of open space. However, this is wholly given over to a cemetery and is near to capacity. There are only two other cemeteries in the Stocksbridge area. One of these, Knoll Top Cemetery provides the most scope for open space regeneration and was subject of ecological survey. It contains a significant amount of open space with short grass, amenity tree and shrub planting and a large area of scrub, tall herb, bramble and bracken on the eastern side with potential for landscape enhancement such as wildflower meadows. There is also potential for used flowers and wreaths from cemeteries to be recycled at community composting centres. 7.4.12. Flat complexes housing elderly people There are at least a dozen areas of flats complexes for elderly people occurring across Stocksbridge and Deepcar that contain many small amenity grass areas that together make up a fair amount of open space. Some parts are actively gardened but most is maintained as short mown grass. Only two sites were surveyed (Helliwell Court and Wilson Road) as a representative of this type of open space. Some years ago Helliwell Court was the focus of some environmental improvement with tree and shrub planting carried out but more could be done to enhance such open space. Recently, open space at Newton Grange has been used for a community orchard project and could be used as a model for potential open space improvements on the other sites. Most of these flats are local authority housing stock and a common (or themed) approach could be used to involve residents in improving these open space areas. The following is a list of locations where there are opportunities for potential improvements. All sites local authority-owned unless stated. Park Drive (non-local authority) Manchester Road, south side, opposite Victory Club (non-local authority) Ridal Avenue Horner Close Oxley Close Pot House Lane Laburnum Grove Stone Moor Haywood Lane Manchester Road, south side, Deepcar Helliwell Court Wilson Road 7.4.13. 'Islands of agricultural' land There are two main open spaces falling in to this category. They remain agricultural fields in character and are where the green corridors into the urban area end. There is a field off Manchester Road (north of New Hall Wood) and the fields at Wood Royd. Their importance is recognised in the UDP with both designated as Open Space Areas.
Menu for this Section is in the right hand column
Stocksbridge SRB5 Greenspace Audit undertaken by Jim Flanagan for Sheffield Wildlife Trust - see their Community Action Handbook - full of good ideas for your local site |
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